More Americans drawn to GOP coverage, here’s one reason why

The Republican platform talks about protecting gun rights while the Democratic platform is more about gun control. (Dave Workman photo)

A new Rasmussen Reports survey reveals that more voters are likely to be watching this week’s GOP convention than next week’s gathering of Democrats.

One reason might be that Americans are beginning to see which party sticks up for their rights.

That applies conspicuously to the Second Amendment. The GOP platform is now available online. Its treatment of the right to keep and bear arms is far more detailed than the Democrats’ draft platform, which will be voted on in Philadelphia.

It is especially noteworthy that the Republican platform calls for “a thorough investigation…of the deadly ‘Fast and Furious’ operation perpetrated by Department of Justice officials who approved and allowed illegal gun sales to known violent criminals.” This is just one of the scandals that plagued the Obama administration, which much of the mainstream press ignored and Democrats want swept under the rug.

“We uphold the right of individuals to keep and bear arms, a natural inalienable right that predates the Constitution and is secured by the Second Amendment. Lawful gun ownership enables Americans to exercise their God-given right of self-defense for the safety of their homes, their loved ones, and their communities.

“We salute the Republican Congress for defending the right to keep and bear arms by preventing the President from installing a new liberal majority on the Supreme Court. The confirmation to the Court of additional anti-gun justices would eviscerate the Second Amendment’s fundamental protections. Already, local officials in the nation’s capital and elsewhere are defying the Court’s decisions upholding an individual right to bear arms as affirmed by the Supreme Court in Heller and McDonald. We support firearm reciprocity legislation to recognize the right of law-abiding Americans to carry firearms to protect themselves and their families in all 50 states. We support constitutional carry statutes and salute the states that have passed them. We oppose ill-conceived laws that would restrict magazine capacity or ban the sale of the most popular and common modern rifle. We also oppose any effort to deprive individuals of their right to keep and bear arms without due process of law.

“We condemn frivolous lawsuits against gun manufacturers and the current Administration’s illegal harassment of firearm dealers. We oppose federal licensing or registration of law-abiding gun owners, registration of ammunition, and restoration of the ill-fated Clinton gun ban. We call for a thorough investigation — by a new Republican administration — of the deadly “Fast and Furious” operation perpetrated by Department of Justice officials who approved and allowed illegal sales of guns to known violent criminals.”

With 33,000 Americans dying every year, Democrats believe that we must finally take sensible action to address gun violence. While gun ownership is part of the fabric of many communities, too many families in America have suffered from gun violence. We can respect the rights of responsible gun owners while keeping our communities safe. We will expand background checks and close dangerous loopholes in our current laws, hold irresponsible dealers and manufacturers accountable, keep weapons of war—such as assault weapons—off our streets, and ensure guns do not fall into the hands of terrorists, domestic abusers, other violent criminals, and those with severe mental health issues.”

Republicans devoted 278 words to their treatise on the individual right to keep and bear arms. Democrats in their draft use but 107 words, and about half of those words are about regulating gun rights rather than protecting them. The Second Amendment discussion is found on page 12 of the Republican document. Democrats push their remarks about gun rights versus gun control back to Page 25 of their draft.

When Rasmussen conducted its telephone survey about who will be watching the convention coverage, it found that 73 percent of likely voters would be watching the GOP gathering, while 69 percent will be watching at least some of the Democratic convention. Only 24 percent said they would not be watching the Republicans, while 31 percent will not watch the Democrats.